What brought about the American Revolution? Like most military conflicts, theRevolution was spurred by a web of complex social, political, and economic factors.However, economic concerns were arguably paramount when colonists finally decided towage war against the British monarchy. Indeed, the era’s most famous rallying cryremains “No taxation without representation!”

Following the French and Indian War (or Seven Years War), the previously prosperousBritish government found that its debt had nearly doubled. Parliamentarians soonproposed that the prosperous American colonists shoulder more of the monarchy’sexpenses. Several new laws were then passed to benefit the Crown and squeeze thecolonists’ pocketbooks.

The trend began with the Currency Act of 1764. This forbade the colonists’ printing ofpaper currency. Colonists were not mining precious metals for coins, and they were noweven more dependent upon Britain for capital. The Currency Act significantly reducedthe colonists’ options for economic self-determination, and this was particularly resentedin light of their existing trade deficit with Great Britain.

Next, the Sugar Act of 1764 aimed to enforce laws related to molasses importation. Priorto the French and Indian War, the wealthy British Empire could afford to be lax with itscolonial customs laws. American merchants became accustomed to circumventing tradetariffs. In effect, they had enjoyed a relatively independent economic system. But whenthe King became concerned about his coffers, enforcement of existing tax laws became atop priority. As taxes on molasses climbed higher, the colonial rum industry atrophied.The loss of the valuable rum trade meant that associated trade for raw materials, likelumber from the Caribbean, dwindled. The Sugar Act also added tariffs to non-sugarygoods like coffee and calico fabric. Taxation without representation began to permeatemore and more aspects of the colonial economy.

Finally, the Stamp Act of 1765 assessed fees for stamps. These stamps were to appear notonly on mail, but on every colonial newspaper, legal document, playing card, mortgage,and other printed materials. This final wide-sweeping act was designed to raise revenuefor the salaries of British troops and government elites. In many colonists’ opinions, theStamp Act most clearly and illegally disconnected taxation from representation.

To oppose the Stamp Act, most colonies sent representatives to a special session in NewYork City. The delegates shed their traditionally humble acquiescence to British rule andasserted that “no taxes… can be constitutionally imposed… but by their respectivelegislatures.” American public opinion supported these delegates’ refusal to accept theStamp Act. Popular new leaders like Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry emerged toendorse mob resistance, and by 1765 many American merchants had subscribed to aNon-Importation Agreement.

However, the British continued to resist colonial demands for increased self-rule. Thecolonists’ verbal protest ultimately became militant. In Massachusetts, for example,farmers’ political groups rose in rebellion. Armed and angry, farmers’ militias filledWorcester County’s village green, prevented the opening of traditional British courts andforcing the resignation of royally-appointed judges. The Worcester County Committeesof Correspondence proposed a convention “of the people” that would design newinstitutions of local governance. Locally-grown militias in Virginia and Pennsylvaniafollowed suit.

Some American colonists attempted a compromise in 1774. Joseph Galloway, a self-proclaimed “man of loyal principles”, presented a plan to the First Continental Congress.Galloway’s peace plan combined a royally-appointed colonial governorship with thetransfer of legislative and taxation powers to the colonists. However, Galloway’s planwas no match for many colonists’ suspicions of the British. The compromise was rejectedby a single vote.

At last, in the spring of 1775, the British government ordered the royal governor ThomasGage to suppress public assembly in Concord, Massachusetts. When Gage attempted toseize supplies of the local militia, the Patriot “minutemen” – ready to fight at a minute’snotice – inflicted heavy casualties upon his British troops. The colonists, now self-identified as sons and daughters of America, saw little possibility of reconciliation withGreat Britain. The American Revolution had begun.